A virtual universe (VU) is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface. Users inhabit and interact in the VU via avatars, which are a user's representation of himself or herself. These representations can be in the form of a three-dimensional model, a two-dimensional icon, a text construct, a user screen name, etc. Although there are many different types of VUs, there are several features many VUs generally have in common. These features include, for example,                Shared Space: the VU allows many users to participate at once;        Graphical User Interface: the VU depicts space visually, ranging in style from 2D “cartoon” imagery to more immersive 3D environments;        Immediacy: interaction takes place in real time;        Interactivity: the VU allows users to alter, develop, build, or submit customized content;        Persistence: the VU's existence continues regardless of whether individual users are logged in; and        Socialization/Community: the VU allows and encourages the formation of social groups such as teams, guilds, clubs, cliques, housemates, neighborhoods, etc.        
With the emergence of VUs, businesses must now develop new marketing strategies to reach and effectively sell products to users participating in VUs. Traditionally, businesses have relied on focus groups, surveys, and/or sales campaigns to ascertain consumer trends and develop marketing strategies based on the acquired information. However, these methods often prove to be costly, time consuming, and at times ineffective. Understandably, traditional marketing methods cannot keep up with emerging technologies.
For example, using traditional marketing methods, one or more consumers may be asked to fill out a survey on what products the consumer likes best in a store and/or what products the user would like to see removed. Based on this survey, businesses can determine what products are most popular amongst consumers and use this information to rearrange products within a store so that the most popular products can be easily accessed by consumers. This may be done, e.g., by placing popular products at the front of a store so as to attract consumers walking by and/or allow consumers to quickly choose products once in a store. However, from start to finish, the process of gathering information, analyzing the information, sending the information to key persons, making changes within a store based on the information, etc., can be very time consuming and expensive. Moreover, the information is frequently outdated before any changes can even be made.